Thank You, America
Thank you, America, for rescuing us from hell,
Humble humans deprived of all rights to life.
In our old country our enemies cruelly quell
Laborers, intellects, revolutionaries, monks alike.
Thank you, America, for teaching us systematism
Thereupon military is only a part of attribution.
In our late republic existed militarism
Causing dictatorship to erode the constitution.
Thank you, America, for the example to settle
The separation between politics and religion.
In our poor nation the priests did meddle
In worldly powers, and it was mutual demolition.
Thank you, America, for granting us medium
To develop our bodies and expand our minds.
In our left behind state there is no freedom
To work and enjoy, think and express any kinds.
Thank you, America, for nursing us deep hope
For a near future we can True Virtue attain
So that our Motherland emerge on the globe,
Our People, with your help, Man's Value regain.
Thanh Thanh (member, PEN USA)
Vie^.t hoa':
Ca?m ta. Hoa Ky`
ta'c gia? tu+. chuye^?n ngu+~ ba`i tho+
"Thank You, America!"
Xin ca?m ta. Hoa Ky` dda~ cu+'u chu'ng to^i
Thoa't quy? du+~ cu+o+'p Quye^`n Ngu+o+`i, Quye^`n So^'ng.
Tre^n que^ cu~, chu'ng tru` no`i, da^.p gio^'ng,
Du` tri' thu+'c, bi`nh da^n, ca'ch ma.ng, tu ha`nh.
Xin ca?m ta. Hoa Ky` ve^` ba`i ho.c pha^n ranh
Giu+~a qua^n lu+.c vo+'i quye^`n ha`nh chi'nh tri..
Nu+o+'c cu~ chu'ng to^i na(`m trong tay vu~ bi.,
Di. u+'ng ddo^.c ta`i ne^n co+ ca^'u khuynh vong.
Xin ca?m ta. Hoa Ky` ve^` gu+o+ng sa'ng ne^u chung,
Pha^n la^.p ro~ giu+~a gia'o quye^`n, chi'nh su+..
Da^n cu~ chu'ng to^i bi. khuo^n ra`o tri' lu+.:
Gia'o si~ ddo^.c to^n ne^n su+. nghie^.p suy ddo^`i.
Xin ca?m ta. Hoa Ky` dda~ hie^'n sa(~n sinh mo^i
Cho the^? xa'c la^~n tinh tha^`n pha't trie^?n.
Da^n nu+o+'c chu'ng to^i ma^'t Tu+. Do the^? hie^.n
Quye^`n la`m a(n, suy nghi~, pha't bie^?u, an sinh.
Xin ca?m ta. Hoa Ky` dda~ nuo^i du+o+~ng Nie^`m Tin
Ve^` mo^.t Tu+o+ng Lai phu.c ho^`i cha^n gia' tri.
Cho Que^ Me. chu'ng to^i ro+~ ra`ng ddi.a vi.
Tre^n ma(.t ddi.a ca^`u, ai na^'y go'p co^ng xa^y...
Thanh Thanh
geocities.com/thinhanvietnam/